DeCluttering Your Home - Step Two

We are in the process of looking for a smaller home now that our youngest child has left the nest. Yesterday we looked at a place that we honestly could not tell you much about because there was so much clutter. Every table was filled with knick-knacks, countertops were covered with appliances, clothes were crammed in the closets, and there was so much furniture it was difficult to really look at the bones of the house. I jokingly told our realtor that I should leave some Senior Focused Relocations brochures around just to help the family.

Now, obviously I didn't do that, but let's address the issue of collections today. Most of us have things we have collected over the years that are dear to us, but when we are decluttering it is important to take a good look at these collections and make some important decisions. Probably the most difficult obstacle is deciding what to take and what to dispose of in some way. Perhaps it is a collection that you dearly love. Will you keep it, give it to your children, sell it on consignment, or what? Also to be taken into consideration is whether this is your only collection or do you have others? Think about the space they take up separately and together. And, as I tell people, less really is more. By this I mean that a few decorative items stand out far more than masses of collections do. Sometimes just keeping a few precious items from a collection and taking a picture of the others is an option for clients.

We are often called upon to declutter whether someone is moving or staying put. By space and furniture planning and downsizing we can create a safe, pared-down environment, but one that still reflects the client's personality. To me, the most amazing comment the client makes is how freeing they feel living in a home with no clutter!